Chapter 396 - 396 Two hundred fifty-three

Words : 1347 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

396: Two hundred fifty-three. The dead lover 396: Two hundred fifty-three. The dead lover “` The muffled sound of thunder seeped through the dense, gloomy clouds. Under the overcast sky, newspapers wrapped in paper bags were whisked away by the wind, and passers-by hurried along in their simple, warm clothing. Lu Li woke earlier than the previous two days. After washing up, he took his umbrella, boarded the waiting carriage outside the Baron’s Mansion, and left Sailor Street. ... The surface of Agate Lake was no longer calm, and the bare branches of trees swayed gently in the wind. A black boot stepped down from the carriage, followed by a tall figure. The whooshing wind lifted the hem of his clothes and ruffled his black hair tips. Lu Li slightly bowed his head and stepped into the manor. The maid opened the door, and after Lu Li entered, it closed again, shutting out the chilling wind and the cold. Regaining warmth, Lu Li followed the leading maid to the dining room. Baron Joseph was waiting for him—he certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity to be alone with Lu Li. Lu Li also had matters to discuss with her. “Advance payment? Of course, that’s not a problem. Lulu, go prepare for our exorcist Lu Li.” Such a trivial request was easily granted by the Baron. “Thank you,” Lu Li said. After settling the payment issue, Lu Li picked up his knife and fork and began his breakfast. Baron Joseph watched Lu Li eat, his eyes narrow and half-closed, occasionally sipping his wine. A dozen minutes later, having finished breakfast, Baron Joseph left to change clothes, while Lu Li went to the bedroom after changing himself. Petra and two others were already waiting there, discussing the possible endings of the story that might conclude today: a fairytale ending, a good ending, and a bad ending. The fairytale ending is where Adam and Sara happily live together, a scene often found in fairytales—like a princess and a prince. The good ending is Sara escaping from the birdcage. The so-called good ending is relative; Adam might die, the Viscount might lose the chance to continue his lineage, but Sara gains her freedom. The bad ending is the tragic outcome where the lovers, Sara and Adam, do not end up together. The taste of the evil spirits is unknown, and any one of these outcomes is possible. “Even our optimism might be excessive, let’s not forget the name of the story,” Petra hinted to Lu Li and the others. After a while, the Baron, dressed in her maid outfit, arrived, signaling the time was nearing for Sara to wake up. The echo of the clock chime floated from the hall’s timepiece. [Chapter 7: The Deceased Lover] The obscure and ancient tone rang out punctually, and its content made the exorcists exchange glances. It seemed the fairytale ending was now out of the question. “Sara” was confined to her room because of the evening banquet; her piano, dance, and etiquette lessons were canceled for the day. This was plainly reflected in the story as the morning and afternoon passed uneventful, with the story skipping over the daylight hours. [As dusk fell and the banquet was about to commence, the guests in the hall started to increase. As the host of the manor, the Viscount was greeting the guests in the hall.] [-At this moment, in Sara’s room-] “` [Maid Irene was applying makeup for Sara, who was dressed in an elegant violet dress patterned with flowers. Her long dark brown hair draped over her shoulders, making her resemble a graceful and noble princess. “I heard that the Earl’s youngest son is very handsome...” Maid Irene felt happy for Miss Sara, while also harboring a sense of longing and envy. She wished she could wear a beautiful gown and be the center of attention at the evening party.] “I heard that the Earl’s youngest son is very handsome,” the Baron said without inflection as he carelessly swept an eyebrow pencil across “Sara’s” face. [Sara pursed her lips without saying anything, letting Maid Irene finish her makeup before picking up the vanity mirror to place it in front of her. She saw herself, with refined cheeks, a tall nose, and slightly curled red lips... like a beautiful bird trapped in a cage.] [But after tonight, she would be able to escape from it all...] The Baron, holding the vanity mirror, slightly raised an eyebrow. Exorcists in the hallway outside, doing nothing with their brooms, exchanged glances. Did Sara have a way to leave? Or maybe... Nominally speaking, the Earl’s youngest son could also be considered Sara’s “lover.”] [“Irene, could you do me a favor?” Sara asked Maid Irene with a hint of plea in her voice. “Of course, beautiful fiancée Miss,” Maid Irene said with a laugh.] [“Could you go to the party and check on the Earl’s son for me? Then come back and tell me.” Maid Irene hesitated before agreeing to her young lady’s request. She was also curious about the noble’s appearance, and whether he was as handsome as a prince.] The Baron left the bedroom and walked towards the downstairs hall under the watchful eyes of Lu Li and the others. The ancient and obscure cause did not follow the Baron away; it still rang next to “Sara.” [Watching Maid Irene leave the room, Sara at the vanity table picked up her skirt and quickly ran to the door, locking it from the inside. She pulled a sheet from under the bed, cutting it with scissors into a long strip, then held these items and went to the balcony. By the light of the moon, she tied one end to the railing.] [Crack—Crack crack—] [“Miss? Are you in there?” came the sound of the door handle turning and Maid Irene’s voice from outside the room. Sara hurriedly threw the rest of the sheet over the balcony and looked down as it landed in the flowerbed below, then quickly ran back to the door. She tidied her disheveled hair, calmed her breath, and opened the door with a smile.] The people outside the room, aware of the drama, pretended ignorance. In a way, they were happy to witness this scene. It couldn’t be better if “Sara” and “Adam” could manage to run away. [Maid Irene informed her mistress that the Earl’s youngest son had already appeared at the evening party, and the Viscount asked her to bring Sara along. “Okay, let’s go now,” said Sara, leading the way out of the bedroom. Maid Irene nodded and was about to follow when she noticed the scissors on the bed. She lifted the duvet and saw the shredded fabric. Something clicked for Maid Irene, who went to the balcony and saw the bedsheets hanging in the flowerbed.] [“Miss wants to escape!” Maid Irene realized with a start. Without a second thought, she returned to the bedroom, picked up the scissors, and intended to cut down the tied bedsheets. “Irene?” At halfway through, Maid Irene heard Sara’s puzzled voice from the corridor. Panic struck Maid Irene’s heart, and she dropped the half-cut bedsheets, left the scissors, and ran out of the bedroom.] [“Let’s go,” Sara said to the servants and Irene, intentionally distracting them.] [Maid Irene, regaining her composure, decided that she would stay close to her mistress hereafter, to prevent her from attempting to escape.] ... [A lively evening party was underway in the grand hall under a bright starlit sky with a pleasant temperature. Guests held their drinks, gathered together, waiting for the hero of the day to make his entrance.] Outside the mansion, a streak of lightning tore through the dark sky, illuminating the entire city and the pitch-black sea, while thunder rumbled slowly in the depths of the clouds. The first drop of rain fell, soaking into the damp earth. A heavy downpour then followed. The story inside and outside was divided into two utterly different worlds.]

Chapter 396 - 396 Two hundred fifty-three

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